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Sleepless nights, whispered conversations in the library, brainstorming at the night mess over endless cups of coffee. If you're an avid mooter at GNLU, these might seem familiar to you. Yes, it's moot court season.

But with all the hard work you put in for that precious rank, self-care takes a backseat. And while you assure yourself you'll be right on track with your health after moot ends, you know on the inside that it won't happen. So, with the first intras right around the corner, here are our best tips on how to stay healthy during moot court season.

1. Don't burn out, work out.

You might be tempted to squeeze in another hour of research into your schedule by avoiding your workout session, but hitting the gym (okay, I understand the gyms are closed right now but why not try out something?) can give your brain a healthy boost no amount of Red Bull can.

Instead of cribbing about how the problem is skewed in favour of the Respondents/Appellants and cursing the problem drafter, you can invest your time and energy into running, yoga, playing volleyball/badminton/throwball/football/insert-name-of-other-sport or even jumping rope. There are tons of workout videos on YouTube which you can use, my personal favourites are from Fitness Blender. Even half an hour of cardio will be better for you than half an hour of stressing out in the library.

2. Water, water, everywhere - why are you not drinking?

This one's pretty self-explanatory, much like the drinking water signs around all water coolers on campus. Dehydration, especially in the lovely Gujjuland weather and freezing GNLU library, is not going to do you or your drafting skills any good - so drink up.

3. Become friends with the right people.

No, I'm not trying to give you gyaan (although this is good life advice in general) but right now I'm talking about two very specific people. The first one is the fruit-seller who comes every day - barring Sundays - during snacks and is here till dinnertime. Buy some fruits, drink coconut water, and just take in all the yummy goodness (brownie points if you bring your tiffin/bag for the fruits and avoid plastic bags).

The second person I'm talking about is the guy who sits in the fruits section of the mess and will sell you juices and fruit plates at a nominal cost. And if you want, you can even give him a customised order like - please don't put apples in my plate. Get yourself some pineapple juice instead of that tetra pack of Nescafe, you know it's better for you.

Anushka Sinha

4. Sleep is (NOT) for the weak.

Once again, pretty self-explanatory. Trust me, the Intras are not worth pulling an all-nighter and then napping in class, only to see your naptime become someone's Insta story of the day.

5. Maintain a healthy diet.

“Hello, pot? This is kettle. You are black.”

Okay, so I'll admit I'm myself not the best person when it comes to healthy eating. I have been known to skip meals more often than not and buying that chips packet every time I'm stressed. My excuse? Mess ka khana achha nahi hai yaar.

But hey, one doesn't have to live this way. When the GNLU mess is not your cup of tea (no pun intended), here are a few other things you can do to sustain yourself. Make mess food better. Instead of replacing your entire meal with that packet of Lays’ Magic Masala, have it with curd rice. Speaking of rice, buy some garlic butter and mix it with rice – it tastes delicious. Add laal mirch and chaat masala if you feel like the food lacks flavour.

Make lemonade out of lemons, literally. And if you’re in the mood for takeout, order from Fit’s Food, I know a bunch of people who swear by their food. Even the wraps from Faasos or Charcoal Eats are healthier than turning to junk food. Keep ready to cook food packets in your room. If all else fails, and the night mess is your last resort – try and order something which has at least some nutritional value. The egg/vegetable frankie or egg fried rice are still better than butter maggi and Coca Cola.

6. Reward yourself, don't punish.

Oh crap. So you slept off and couldn't do the research you had planned on tackling for the day. Believe it or not, that's completely normal. Don't go into overdrive and start pulling all-nighters just because you haven't found that one case which supports your arguments more than your BFF supports you when you bitch about someone.

Just continue whatever you're doing and you'll be fine. But when you do find that case, or finish your citations, or submit your memo on time - it's time to celebrate! So, treat yourself when the occasion calls for it - whether it's an episode of Sacred Games or some waffles that you've been drooling over.

In the end, just relax, folks. Moot season is what it is - a season. It'll come and go every semester, and bring fresh, panic-inducing waves each time. This may come as a shock - but moots are only one of the several things you can do in college, so you shouldn't let it take over your life.